ADVENT
“Maranatha” – “Our Lord, come”
(1 Corinthians 16.22)
THE COLLECT FOR THE SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
O Lord, raise up, we pray, your power
and come among us,
and with great might succour us;
that whereas, through our sins and wickedness
we are grievously hindered
in running the race that is set before us,
your bountiful grace and mercy
may speedily help and deliver us;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
to whom with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honour and glory, now and for ever.
The Advent wind begins to stir
With sea-like sounds in our Scotch fir,
It’s dark at breakfast, dark at tea,
And in between we only see
Clouds hurrying across the sky
And rain-wet roads the wind blows dry
And branches bending to the gale
Against great skies all silver-pale.
The world seems travelling into space,
And travelling at a faster pace
Than in the leisured summer weather
When we and it sit out together,
For now we feel the world spin round
On some momentous journey bound –
Journey to what? to whom? to where?
The Advent bells call out ‘Prepare,
Your world is journeying to the birth
Of God made Man for us on earth.’
from Advent (1955), by John Betjeman
Tuesday, 1st December
During Advent we become one with those who waited in darkness for the revealing of God’s light – and who dared to hope that god’s salvation could come in the birth of a child …
Waiting is essential to the spiritual life. But waiting as a Christian is not empty waiting. It is a waiting with a promise in our hearts that makes already present what we are waiting for!
Christians wait in Advent for the birth of Jesus. We wait after Easter for the coming of the Holy Spirit. We wait after the Ascension of Jesus for his coming again in glory – that Second Coming – which is a particular focus for us in Advent.
from In Joyful Hope, by Henri Nouwen
Wednesday, 2nd December
We are in fact always waiting! It is a waiting in the conviction that we have already seen God’s footsteps.
Our waiting should be active, alert – yes, joyful – waiting. As we wait we remember him for whom we are waiting, and as we remember him we create a community ready to welcome him when we comes.
from In Joyful Hope, by Henri Nouwen
Thursday, 3rd December
One thing Advent tells me is that people of faith know it will get darker before it gets light. That is what our calendar teaches us., beginning when it does. Week by week we will light new candles, but even as we light them the darkness will increase. We also know that the sun will come back, just like we know that God will be born in a barn in Bethlehem. These are sure facts of our lives, but so is waiting in the dark. Anyone who has ever hungered for morning knows that. It will come, but it will not be rushed. You can prop the clock right by you face on pillow pillow. You can count to 60 500 times and it will not change a thing. Night creatures will still rustle in the leaves outside your window. Your heart will still beat like a drum in your ears. Morning will come, but it will not be rushed. Our job is to wait without losing hope…
from Gospel Medicine, by Barbara Brown Taylor
Friday, 4th December
Christ is coming.
With a gentle touch, with an angry word, with a clean conscience, with burning love – to make all things new …
Within us, without us, behind us, before us, in very place, for this time, for all time – to make all things new …
Saturday, 5th December
Every Advent the scriptures take us through the desperate longing and eagerness of God’s people, awaiting God’s coming among them to heal and save. The readings for Advent and Christmas progress from this longing to a vision of the fulfilment of God’s promises: the Peaceable Kingdom, the rebuilding of Jerusalem, the marriage of God and humanity, he renewal of creation.
Gretchen Wolff Pritchard
6th December, 2nd Sunday of Advent
Almighty God,
Purify our hearts and minds,
that when your Son Jesus Christ comes
again as judge and saviour
we may be ready to receive him
who is our Lord and God.
.
Holy Communion for the The First Sunday of Advent, 2020, celebrated at St Mary’s, Steeple Ashton
Prayers of Intercession for Advent
… and some favourite hymns for this day …
Awake, awake: fling off the night
Come, thou long-expected Jesus
Hark! A herald voice is calling
Lo, he comes with clouds descending
Sunday, 6th December – THE SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Monday, 7th December – Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, Teacher, 397
Tuesday, 8th December – The Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Wednesday, 9th December – Ember Day
Thursday, 10th December – Feria
Friday, 11th December – Ember Day
Saturday, 12th December – Ember Day
***
www.excitingholiness.org/first-edition is an excellent online resource containing short biographies of the saints, as well as prayers and readings for their day.
Your financial support to the Benefice is vital … and greatly appreciated … please see Supporting the Church
Our services for the month of December are as follows:on Sunday, 6th December, THE SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT on Sunday, 13th December, THE THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT on Sunday, 20th December, THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT on Thursday, 24th December, CHRISTMAS EVE on Friday, 25th December, CHRISTMAS DAY on Sunday, 27th December, THE FIRST SUNDAY OF CHRISTMAS On account of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) special provisions are in place for our services, including those for the administration of Holy Communion. Individual Prayer in our churches St Thomas’, Southwick, is open for individual prayer every Wednesday between 10.30am and 12.30pm. The Lady Chapel at St Mary’s, Steeple Ashton, is open for individual prayer every Saturday and Sunday between 2 and 4pm. |
| Morning Prayer will be said remotely, on Zoom, on Monday – Thursday this week. If you would like to join in here are the links:
for Monday, 7th November: for Tuesday, 8th December: for Wednesday, 9th December: for Thursday, 10th December: |
| “We lift up in prayer the people of our Benefice each morning; please let us know if you would like us to include in our prayers any particular person or cause.” |
| Worship at home An excellent range of resources can be found at: www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/church-online |
| From our own Diocese, you can find at www.salisburycathedral.org.uk daily reflections and much streamed material, including, on Sundays, a Service of Words and Music (often on the Cathedral YouTube channel). |
| Also do look at Bishop Andrew’s vlog (by searching for Andrew Rumsey on YouTube), and the reflections available at www.sarum.ac.uk |
| Daily HOPE The Church of England has launched a free national phone line as a simple new way to bring worship and prayer into people’s homes while our church buildings are closed. … |
| Dial in to listen to daily services of prayers and reflections. The service is available 24 hours a day. |
Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child
Pack a Shoebox!
Send Good News And Great Joy Around The World
Collect your Shoebox label between 10.30am and 12.30pm on any Tuesday or Friday at St Nicholas’, or on any Wednesday at St Thomas’, or from Fr Oliver Learmont at froliverlearmont@gmail.com; on 07464 795590.
Please bring your gift-filled Shoebox to St Nicholas’ or St Thomas’ at any of the above times, or c/o Fr Oliver.
Shoeboxes will be blessed at 9.15am at Holy Communion at St Nicholas’ on Sunday, 6th December, and at 11am at Holy Communion at St Thomas’ on Sunday, 13th December.
Do visit samaritans-purse.org.uk for further details, and for alternative ways of giving if you are unable to give a gift-filled shoebox.